Spindle adapter for record changers

ABSTRACT

An adapter for playing large hole records on a spindle generally dimensioned for small hole records. The adapter is a one-piece body having a wide, upright stem and a forwardly projecting head. An aperture extends through the body from bottom and front parts of the stem to a rear part of the head. The bottom and front parts of the aperture are substantially wider than the spindle, while its upper rear part just admits the top of the spindle. By virtue of the large aperture portion, the adapter can be applied to the spindle with unusual facility.

United States Patent Henry E. Johnston Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 83 1,149

June 6, 1969 Apr. 20, 1971 Philco-Ford Corporation Philadelphia, Pa.

inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee SPINDLE ADAPTER FOR RECORD CHANGERS 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 274/10 Int. Cl.... Gllb 17/04 Field of Search 274/ 105 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1966 Tatter et al.

3,477,727 1 H1969 OConnell Primary Examiner-Leonard Forman Assistant ExaminerSteven L. Stephan Attorney-Carl H. Synnestvedt ABSTRACT: An adapter for playing large hole records on a spindle generally dimensioned for small hole records. The

adapter is a one-piece body having a wide, upright stem and a. forwardly projecting head. An aperture extends through the body from bottom and front parts of the stem to a rear part of the head. The bottom and from parts of the aperture are substantially wider than the spindle, while its upper rear part just admits the top of the spindle. By virtue of the large aperture portion, the adapter can be applied to the spindle with unusual facility.

Patented April 20, 1971 3,575,423

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I m Patented April 20, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. KIA 1?) 5 J0/V/Vf7'0/V AffOR/VEY SIP'INDIIE ADAIPIIEII FGII IIFCOIRD CHANGERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various attempts have been made to adapt the spindles of ordinary record changers to the playing of large hole records such as the popular 45 r.p.m. discs. l-Ieretofore it was difficult to apply an adapter to such a spindle. The spindle itself is thin and narrow and heretofore the openings of the adapter, engaging the spindle, were similarly small and narrow. As a result it was hard to bring the elements into proper mutual relationship. The difficulty was aggravated by the fact that such an adapter often is used by technically untrained persons, and is to be applied to a spindle in a record changer cabinet where illumination and accessibility of parts are limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The new adapter has an aperture extending through it and one end of which, opening in downward and forward directions, is substantially wider than the spindle of the record player. Integral, interior elements are so arranged in this aperture that the adapter, when casually held in hand and applied to the spindle, readily comes into proper position. Simple, manual, primarily rotative motion suffices for applying and fastening the adapter, and such motion is most readily applied to the simple one-piece body by an almost automatic, manual reaction to the form of the adapter body in the presence of the phonograph spindle. The new device can be applied to the spindle with almost the same simplicity as a hat is-put on a hook.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view showing the new adapter from its front and side, as it is being applied to the spindle of a record changer.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively side and bottom views of the new adapter, for showing it in the position established when it has been applied to the spindle, and the bottom view being drawn on a somewhat larger scale than the side view.

FIG. i is a perspective view of the adapter in its applied and operative position, with two records thereon and one record discharged therefrom.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the adapter, in generally the same condition as in FIG. 4) but after discharge of another record.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT New adapter III as shown in FIG. I is a one-piece unit which has head and stem portions, shown respectively as elements II and I2. Head II is supported by stem part I2 which is characterized by having wide, flaring, generally skirtlike form. Unit It), comprising head Ill and body I2, is advantageously produced by molding it of synthetic plastic material.

For firm engagement with the top of spindle S and for proper orientation with regard to the same, a part of head II, merging into stem I2, has a cavity or aperture portion I3 (best shown in FIG. 5). According to the invention, the skirtlike and flaring lower part of body I2 has a wide cavity or aperture portion 114, opening forwardly and downwardly. Upper cavity I3 opens rearwardly. The two cavities are interconnected (FIG. 3) by an intermediate aperture portion 22, opening both forwardly and rearwardly and having sidewalls 23 gradually narrowing to the restricted width of upper cavity I3, whereby acontinuous opening I3, 22, I4 is formed. The upper cavity has a vertical slot 2d adapted to receive record ejector blade E of spindle S (FIG. I) and thereby angularly to orient adapter III with respect to the spindle and the entire record changer.

In order to apply the adapter to the record changer, the user holds body III in one hand, in inclined position, so that the wide aperture portion Id in its front is disposed above the top of the spindle and faces downwardly toward the same. He brings body III down onto the spindle, causing the spindle to extend through opening 22. Such initial application of the new adapter to the spindle is very simple, as the wide, flaring form of aperture portion I4 readily accepts the spindle top. Since the aperture portions communicate with one another at 22 and have gradually merging walls 23 leading to ejector slot 24, it is equally simple upon such initial application, and by a rotative movement to bring the so applied adapter into upright position and thereby to bring its upper cavity 13 into position properly oriented with respect to the top of the spindle. When this has been done it is only necessary to give a finalpush to the bottom of the adapter, toward the spindle (see curved arrow in FIG. I) to engage spindle S with the adapter and then to push the adapter body down (see downward arrow in FIG. 2), to a limit established by a closure 25 of spindle top II. The changer is then ready to play large hole records.

When the user performs the swinging motion just mentioned, spindle S is engaged by a pairof'resilient fingers or claws I5 integrally formed in a central bottom region of wide cavity I4. While body I0 has ribs 16, 17 which make the stem and head relatively rigid, fingers 15 are thin and flexible so that they afi'ord adequate snap-acting engagement with the smooth metallic spindle (FIG. 3).

The way in which the new adapter cooperates with the records to be played may be understood in general from the description provided thus far, but the following particulars should be noted. Head 11 has a front surface I8 arcuately curved about a radius substantially identical with that of the large inner hole of the disc to be played (FIG. 4). The discs or records rest on a small rearwardly facing ledge L of spindle S, until a lowermost recordis ejected by well-known motion of ejector blade E, actuated by trigger or tailpiece T in this spindle. This record then slides down from the head region of the adapter along arcuately flaring ribs 17 of stem 12 and onto lowermost side surfaces 19, 20 of this stem. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these surfaces then engage inner edge portions of record hole H, opposite one another which portions are disposed substantially at right angles to the edge portion formerly engaged by head surface 18. Thus, although the record is free to slide along ridges I7 of stem 10 without substantial restraint, its original upper and final lower positions are controlled by adapter surfaces 18, I9, 20. The sliding motion includes a component A in the direction of the original discharge motion D applied by ejector E, and the sliding motion also contains an oblique downward component B, suitably enforced by the configuration of ribs I7 (FIGS. 2, 3). In order to make sure that the final position of the record is defined by side surfaces 19,20 of stem I2, the stern has flattened surfaces F in front and back, which do not contact the circular inside edge of the sliding record.

When ejector blade E (FIG. I) is operated by trigger T, in response to well-known operation of the record changer mechanism, not shown, to effect discharge motion D (FIG. 4), the lowermost record, cleared by surface 18, slides down over adapter ribs I7, in a direction determined by components A and B, and then comes to rest on the turntable or on a record surface previously played (FIG. 5), in contact with adapter surfaces I9, 20, spaced by the diameter D of the large record hole.

For such discharge of a record, adapter 10 must be oriented in accurately predeten'nined position. In order to insure this, the adapter preferably has not only the aforementioned top cavity I3 engaging the top of spindle S but also has a stop 30 integrally formed inside stem 12 between resilient fingers IS in such position that, pursuant to the snapping in of the adapter on spindle S, a vertical centerline C of the adapter (FIG. 2) coincides with the axis of the spindle. Slightly hollowed front portions or jaws 31, formed on fingers I5, resiliently prevent sliding out of the adapter away from the spindle, while stop 3t) prevents excessive sliding in (FIG. 3).

It will be seen that the adapter can be applied with great ease and yet with proper accuracy. Although it can be tilted angularly (FIG. I) and can slide vertically (FIG. 2), it is firmly held to the spindle pursuant to the snapping in of jaws 311. The

adapter then accurately holds a stack of records (FIG. 4), engaging the inside edges of their holes H, along line D between ledge L and head surface 18 (FIG. 2). When triggered at T, it causes proper discharge and positioning of the lowermost record.

The following is a resume of the way in which the new adapter engages and positions the records held ready for playing and then discharges and positions them in playing position. Two records held ready for discharge are shown in the upper part of FIG. 4, where it will be seen that a first inside edge portion of each record (at right and slightly to the front) is positioned by surface 18, while a second and opposite inside edge portion is located in the region where stern and head of the adapter merge. These two locations are indicated by letters M and L respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, position L is defined by the usual record-supporting ledge of spindle S and is located at the bottom of an oblique spindle portion, while adapter surface 18 extends in an oblique direction generally parallel to the latter portion, so that the stack of records rises from ledge L obliquely, parallel to surface 18. The lowermost record, resting directly on ledge L (FIG. 4) has its first inside edge portion disposed directly below the horizontal bottom edge of surface 18. While accordingly supported only at a single point L, this lowermost record is temporarily prevented from tilting or falling by surface contact with overlying records, which in turn can be held by a well-known record stabilizing means or overarm (not shown). For present purposes it will sufi'rce to note that the adapter head surface 18, rigidly secured to spindle-engaging stem and head ll, determines the plan view position of the record to be discharged (even when this record has reached the level directly below the bottom edge of this surface) and that nevertheless the entire adapter is easily and simply applied to the spindle, as described above.

By virtue of this dependable positioning of the records held ready, their discharge is relatively simple matter, it being understood that the discharge motion effected by trigger T and blade E causes the lowermost record to slide or fall from an eccentric, horizontal position (marked by symbol D" in FIG. 2) into a lower horizontal position centered about the spindle (marked by symbol D in FIG. 3; also see arrows A and B in FIG. 4). As already described, the new adapter controls this motion by means of ribs 17 on stem 12. During an early phase of the motion these ribs engage inner edge portions of the falling record, disposed approximately at right angles to the previous positioning portions L, M, and guide the record into its ultimate location, engaging surfaces 19, 20. It is a feature characteristic of the present invention that the record, accordingly, is first engaged at mutually opposed edge portions L, M, and is ultimately engaged at edge portions angularly displaced therefrom. While proper centering of the record is achieved by this feature, this also allows the use of the wide, downwardly flaring stem 12 with the large forwardly opening aperture 14 wherein, which as initially noted facilitates the application of the adapter to the record changer.

[claim 1. An adapter for a record player spindle to adapt said spindle for large hole records when said adapter is positioned on said spindle sized for small hole records, said adapter being a unitary body which comprises an upright main portion having a relatively thin wall structure which defines exterior surfaces having a size and shape at the bottom thereof such that it will engage the perimeter of the hole of a large hole record at least in diametrically opposed areas, said wall structure also defining interior surfaces which form a cavity opening downwardly and forwardly and substantially wider than the diameter of said spindle; a pair of elastic claws on said interior surface disposed for snapping onto said spindle; and a forwardly projecting head on said main portion, said head having interior walls defining a narrow rearwardly facing cavity for engagement with the top of the spindle, which latter cavity merges with the cavity of the main portion to provide an opening throu h said body. I

2. An adap er as described in claim I wherein said wall comprises outwardly projecting rib and surface elements, gradually flaring from an upper, narrow configuration to a lower, wide and record-locating configuration.

3. An adapter as described in claim 2 and further including, between said claws, a rigid stop to assist in locating the adapter on the spindle. 

1. An adapter for a record player spindle to adapt said spindle for large hole records when said adapter is positioned on said spindle sized for small hole records, said adapter being a unitary body which comprises an upright main portion having a relatively thin wall structure which defines exterior surfaces having a size and shape at the bottom thereof such that it will engage the perimeter of the hole of a large hole record at least in diametrically opposed areas, said wall structure also defining interior surfaces which form a cavity opening downwardly and forwardly and substantially wider than the diameter of said spindle; a pair of elastic claws on said interior surface disposed for snapping onto said spindle; and a forwardly projecting head on said main portion, said head having interior walls defining a narrow rearwardly facing cavity for engagement with the top of the spindle, which latter cavity merges with the cavity of the main portion to provide an opening through said body.
 2. An adapter as described in claim 1 wherein said wall comprises outwardly projecting rib and surface elements, gradually flaring from an upper, narrow configuration to a lower, wide and record-locating configuration.
 3. An adapter as described in claim 2 and further including, between said claws, a rigid stop to assist in locating the adapter on the spindle. 